This bill reauthorizes and provides additional funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). The bill also modifies the SCBGP outreach and state plan requirements. Under the block grant program, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides grants to the state departments of agriculture to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops (i.e., fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture).
Specifically, the bill reauthorizes the SCBGP through FY2028.
The bill also requires that SCBGP grants be made based on priorities jointly identified by specialty crop producers, producer groups, and state program administrators to achieve the program's purpose.
Further, the bill requires that the plan a state must submit to USDA under the program indicate how outreach to, and consultation with, specialty crop stakeholders will be achieved.
